Thursday, May 29, 2014

Save Water with Low Flow Shower Heads

Posted by: Sound Marketing for House Smart Home Improvements

Wash that water waste right out of your hair

We all love a good hot shower. It can wake us up after a long night’s sleep, or invigorate us after a hard day’s work. In fact, hot water usage accounts for about 25 per cent of total energy use in our homes.* The only thing we use more energy for is space heating. Think about how you use hot water. I bet you bathing and showering takes up a good portion.
By switching to a low-flow showerhead you can save water, energy and money. But do you fear that by switching you’ll never get the shampoo out? Or maybe you think the one you’ve already got is low flow.




When big hair and high flow was the norm

 If you were alive in the 80s you remember it was the decade of big. Big hair, big shoulders and water-gushing showerheads that flowed faster than the Cyclone at West Edmonton Mall’s World Waterpark. Some had flow rates as high as 16 or 20 litres per minute (LPM). But in 1992, a US federal standard of 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM) or 9.5 LPM was mandated. So you’re thinking, if showerheads have been low flow since as early as 1992, why am I getting all this grief for not switching mine out? Ask yourself. What year was your house built? Do you know the last time the showerhead was replaced? Yup. You could unknowingly be harbouring a water waster in your bathroom, and I’m not talking about your teenager.


Find out your showerhead’s flow rate

If you’re not sure if your showerhead is low flow, try this simple test. Turn it on at the volume you’d normally use to shower. Hold a bucket under the showerhead for exactly 10 seconds. Measure the volume of the water you collect with a measuring cup and times it by six to determine the flow rate for one minute. If the number you get is higher than 9.5 litres, you may want to consider replacing your showerhead.

 

 

 

 

You could save what!?

A friend, who refuses to switch to low flow, agreed to let me test the flow rate of her showerhead for this story, on the promise she’d remain anonymous. After all, who wants to publically admit to wasting water? Her home was built in the late 80s. The bathroom she showers in is original to the house, and by the looks of it, the showerhead is as well. My test revealed her showerhead uses almost 17 LPM! I would say my friend has a lot of potential for savings if she’d switch to a low-flow model. In fact, a month of five minute daily showers with a 6.5 LPM showerhead would save 1,620 litres of water. And with about 65 per cent of that water being hot, switching would save her about $47 a year on her natural gas bill.**






So many showerheads, so many questions

You’ve decided to shrink your environmental footprint a little (maybe even your energy bill) and invest in a low-flow showerhead. But you hit the plumbing aisle at the hardware store and are awash in a sea of confusion. This one feels like spring rain. That one has pulsating jets. Over there the outside of the package has a WaterSense® logo. Another has an EcoFlow logo. How come you can’t find one with an ENERGY STAR® logo? And why is this one $5 and that one $300?  How can you tell if a product is low flow, or any good for that matter?
Let’s recap. As of 1992 the maximum flow rate of a showerhead was regulated to a new standard of 2.5 GPM or 9.5 LPM. Since many of the showerheads we buy are manufactured in the US, and the BC Building Code mandated a maximum standard flow rate of 9.5 LPM in 2006, models that use less than 9.5 LPM or 2.5 GPM are considered low flow.
WaterSense, a partnership program from the US Environmental Protection Agency (of which the BC Ministry of Environment is a partner) works to protect water supplies by offering ways for consumers to use less. Its label is used to identify low-flow models similar to how the ENERGY STAR label identifies the most efficient appliances. If you find a showerhead bearing the WaterSense label, it uses at least 20 per cent less water than a standard model.
You can find other terms on showerhead packaging, such as EcoSense, EcoFlow and EcoRain, but those are mostly marketing terms made up by the manufacturers.

The low down on flow
 
Flow rate standards​LPM​GPM
​Prior to 1992​17-20​5-8
​1992 US standard​9.5 maximum​2.5 maximum
​2006 BC Building Code standard​9.5 maximum
​WaterSense labelled models​7.5 or lower​2.0 or lower















Testing the waters

To quell the undying rumour that I’ll never get the shampoo out of my hair with a low-flow showerhead, I decided to take one for the team and try out a couple. You can buy a standard flow model for as little as $5 or an ultra-low flow for as much as $300. For the purposes of this article I’ve set the upper limit at $60.
The $5 showerhead was no bargain. At 9.5 LPM it was the maximum flow you can buy, but the trickle it produced was not even worthy of watering my plants. The $60 model was WaterSense labelled and even with the lower flow of 7.5 LPM, it provided a variety of settings with enough pressure for a satisfying shower.



Not handy? Not a problem

You’ve decided to plunge into the deep and cut back on your water use with a new low-flow showerhead. But you think now you’ll have to call a plumber, so any hot water savings you see will go towards paying the plumber’s bill. Have you ever screwed a garden hose onto a hose bib? If the answer is yes—heck, even if the answer is no—you can install a showerhead. We even have a how-to video that will show you how. All you need is a wrench, some plumber’s Teflon tape (Most showerheads will come with a little roll, if not just ask the sales clerk at the hardware store.) and your new showerhead.



Waste not, save more


As for my friend, she’s singing in the rain with her new low-flow rain showerhead. She says she can’t believe she didn’t switch years ago. How about you? Ready to take the plunge into saving water?



This information from the Fortis BC Website



House Smart Home Improvements are experienced professionals with an  A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau. When it’s time to replace your windows, doors or  furnaces and heat pumps, or to install  insulation, and other energy-efficient home upgrades,  Give us a call. 604-585-2020. Right now, save 100 per window for a limited time if you live in the lower mainland, BC Canada  

Saturday, May 17, 2014

SAVE ENERGY WHEN WASHING / DRYING CLOTHES

Posted by: Sound Marketing for House Smart Home Improvements

CLOTHES WASHING:


If all the households in the U.S. switched from hot-hot cycle to warm-cold, we could save the energy comparable to 100,000 barrels of oil a day.
Even if you wash on hot and rinse on warm, you’re going to use an average of 4.5 kWh per load, which at a cost of $0.15 per kWh will cost you $0.68.

On the other hand, if you wash on cold and rinse on cold, you’re going to use an average of 0.3 kWh per load, which at a cost of $0.15 per kWh will cost you $0.04.
The numbers are clear: if you wash on hot, you’re dumping water down the drain.

Of course, there are a lot of counter-arguments for this.
The chief argument for using hot water is that hot water is the best route for getting your clothes as clean as possible. The high temperature of the water is most likely to kill bacteria and also to cause more movement of the water, causing more soiling and germs to be removed from the clothes.
However, hot water also does the most damage to clothes, causing them to shrink, wrinkle, and fade more than other temperatures.
Most of the time, our clothes simply aren’t dirty enough to warrant the rough treatment that a hot water washing would give them.

What about warm water? 

You may want to use warm water for stains or particularly dirty clothes. But it is still not necessary for everyday washing.
Washing your clothes on warm and rinsing on warm will cost you $0.53 per load, and washing your clothes on warm and rinsing on cold will cost you $0.29 per load.

Cold water washing is also the gentlest choice for your clothes, extending their life. There’s less garment wear on a cold water washing as well as fewer wrinkles (meaning less ironing) and less shrinkage.




  

CLOTHES DRYING - 9 REASONS TO LINE-DRY:


1. Save Money
Most households which abandon their clothes dryer save more than $100 per year off electric or gas bills. A new clothesline is much less expensive than a new clothes dryer.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Energy Conservation

Line drying laundry conserves energy and helps to protect the environment by saving precious fossil fuels. It is the pinnacle of green laundry!



3. Freshness

Clothes and sheets smell fresh without additional chemical laundry fresheners. This is particularly important for those sensitive to perfumes and dyes used in detergents and dryer products.


4. Gentle on Clothing

Tossing and tumbling in a dryer can cause wear and strain on clothing seams and buttons. Line drying is more gentle to fibers.


5. Physical Activity

Hanging up laundry is a physical activity which you can do inside or outside. Learn how to do it correctly.


6. Good Rays

Sunlight helps to bleach and disinfect laundry. This is particularly beneficial for sheets, towels and diapers. However, for dark clothes it can cause harm - keep them in the shade.


7. Winter Humidity

Indoor racks can humidify the air in dry winter weather. (Ok we'll skip this one for people in the lower mainland - our winters are moist enough!)


8. Prevent Fire Risks

Clothes dryer fires account for about 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths and 400 injuries annually. The yearly costs in the United States for fire loss due to clothes dryer fires is estimated at $99 million.



9. Peacefulness

Taking time to enjoy the weather, the feel and smell of clean laundry can offer an outdoor experience that is meditative.







Finally:
If you really want to dry your clothes in the dryer, use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. They can be rubber with little stubby spikes, or they can be all-natural made of felted wool. Basically, they bounce around in your laundry load, separating the clothes and fluffing them up, so that you don’t need to reduce static cling chemically.



 House Smart Home Improvements are experienced professionals with an  A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau. When it’s time to replace your windows, doors or  furnaces and heat pumps, or to install  insulation, and other energy-efficient home upgrades,  Give us a call. 604-585-2020. Right now, save 100 per window for a limited time if you live in the lower mainland, BC Canada 

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Stay Cool / Save Energy This Summer

Posted by: Sound Marketing for House Smart Home Improvements

 Now that the temperature's rising, it's time to get your home ready to enjoy in warm weather! 

 


 But before you crank up the air conditioning and turn on the sprinklers, make sure you've inspected the house - giving things a tune-up can help you save on energy costs and avoid expensive repairs. Here are a few tips that will help you summer-ize your home!



 
1. Tune up your air conditioner

Get a professional tune-up on your air conditioning unit(s) at least once a year. The last thing you want is for your A/C to go out when high temps hit. A professional can check for damage or leaks and make sure your equipment is running as efficiently as possible. 






2. Clean and adjust fans
 
Clean your ceiling and portable fans for maximum efficiency and minimum dust. Turn off your fans when they're not in use and when you leave the house.







3. Check air filters

Make sure clean filters are installed in your heating or cooling systems. Washable home furnace/HVAC system filers can be cleaned and reused. They only require replacement every few years, saving you money in the long run. Don't skimp on the quality, though, and follow the directions for proper cleaning and drying. 






4. Rethink your appliance use
 
Skip the oven, which can create heat in your home and make it more difficult to cool down. Instead, start using the BBQ more often. Running appliances, like your dishwasher and washer/dryer, at night will save energy and money. The humidity created from the dishwasher can compete with the cooling effects of A/C, and energy prices may be slightly lower on off-peak hours, such as bedtime.






5. Create shade
 
Replace heavy curtains with a lighter material. Consider window tinting or plantings that can create more shade in areas that get the most sun. 

 







6. Clean windows
 
Keep the cool air in and the hot air out! Clean windows inside and out and check for any damage to glass. Rinse window screens and check for damage. Replace weather stripping if necessary. 

 








7. Adjust your thermostat
 
Install a programmable thermostat, if you don't already have one. Benefits: increased comfort, more control, big savings! By ensuring that your cooling system isn't running all day or night, a programmable thermostat can help lower energy costs. 





 House Smart Home Improvements are experienced professionals with an  A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau. When it’s time to replace your windows, doors or  furnaces and heat pumps, or to install  insulation, and other energy-efficient home upgrades,  Give us a call. 604-585-2020. Right now, save 100 per window for a limited time if you live in the lower mainland, BC Canada